Sven not convinced the likes of 'head coach' Dr Peters can help England win mind games

Sven Goran Eriksson has never been convinced that the use of mind coaches like Dr Steve Peters can have the desired effect in a short term situation like a World Cup tournament.

Roy Hodgson confirmed on Tuesday that an invitation to join the backroom team in Brazil in the summer had been accepted by Peters, the psychiatrist who is credited with much of the success of Team GB’s Olympic cyclists, has recently worked at Liverpool and has been given glowing personal endorsement from England captain Steven Gerrard.

Eriksson worked with Norwegian sports psychologist Willi Railo when he first arrived in England and took control of the qualifying campaign for the World Cup in Japan and South Korea in 2002.

Long game: Sven Goran Eriksson says sports psychologists need to be with a team for the long-term to work

Strong resume: Dr Peters' clients have included the Team GB cycling team and Steven Gerrard

'Many clubs use sports psychologists like Willi Railo,' said Eriksson, speaking before the announcement that Peters, author of The Chimp Paradox, would be joining England.

'The problem is the national team. If you work with a mental coach, you have to work months before.

'You can’t start when you are in the World Cup. Before you are there the players are at different clubs, it’s difficult practically to do it.'

In his autobiography published last year, Eriksson confirmed one of his biggest regrets was failing to take someone to help England overcome their mental block in penalty shoot-outs. He lost three quarter-finals as England boss, two of them on penalties.

Chapter 15 of his book, Sven: My Story, is entitled 'Penalties' and, although it deals with other issues, including his exit from the job in 2006, the Swede views the penalty shoot-out as a gloomily recurring theme of his tenure and advised Hodgson to address the problem.

'If you talk about psychologically, I should have taken a mental coach for training and shoot-outs,' said Eriksson. 'Penalties? Not very good for England. Why is that? It’s mental, not technical. It has very little to do, you take the ball, from the halfway line, walk, how many thoughts going through your head.

'When it’s your turn, if you miss it, England miss out. Huge pressure. Tell Roy to prepare it. As a coach, you can’t prepare. You can train, train and train. You must train them mentally. You need professional help for that.'

Penalty: Eriksson (R) has written of his regret at not helping England mentally prepare for shoot-outs

Disaster: David Beckham misses his penalty in the Euro 2004 quarter final England lost to Portugal

Gutted: Beckham's golden boot couldn't deliver on that day in Lisbon, another England shoot-out disaster

Cup tears: Wayne Bridge consoles John Terry after the painful penalty loss in the 2006 World Cup